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Instagram BETA for Windows Phone allows you to take photos with your phone, apply a few special effects and share them with family friends through the Instagram network - or via other social networks.

What you can and can't do with Instagram BETA

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The official Instagram app for Windows Phone boasts most of the same features and functions as the Instagram client for iOS and Android. That's to say, you can use it to follow your friends' activity on the network, as well as to capture, edit and upload photos.

The significant difference between Instagram BETA for Windows Phone and the iOS and Android versions is that you cannot capture or upload video to Instgram, which is a pity, because it's a fun feature. Of course, this is a Beta release, and the developer promises video recording facilities soon. For now, if you're desperate to add Instagram videos on Windows Phone it's worth trying the non-official 6tag app.

Instagram is renowned for the way it lets you apply filters to your photos to make them seem more cool or artistic. Instagram BETA for Windows Phone includes a range of filters (20 at present).

Other editing tools in Instagram BETA for Windows Phone include Scale and Crop, Rotate, Frame, Blur and Brightness. Unlike the Android version of Instagram there's no auto-straightening tool included.

Smooth look and feel

Instagram BETA features a smart user interface which is straightforward enough to use. Capturing is done via the native camera app on your phone rather than through the app, though it feels like a seamless experience.

There's Live Tile support for notifications so you can see when there has been activity around images you've uploaded or when photos of you have been uploaded. There's no way to customize what type of notifications are pushed to the Live Tile, however.

The verdict

Instagram BETA isn't quite the finished product yet. The lack of video recording support is a let-down, though the app is fine for taking, uploading and editing images, as well as interacting with the Instagram community.